12 Russound MCA-C5 User and Installation Manual
INSTALLATION OVERVIEW
Ventilation Requirements
Important: The MCA-C5 should be situated so that its location or position
does not interfere with its proper ventilation. Do not block vents above or to
the sides of the unit, as it requires ventilation for proper operation. Do not
expose to excessive dust, and do not allow dust to build up on the unit and
block vent holes. Do not place the MCA-C5 above or below a heat-generating
component such as an audio amplier.
Be sure to leave at least 2 inches of space to the sides of the unit with open air
ow above. A single-space rack mount vent or about 1.75 inches must be kept
clear above and below the unit.
Installation
The MCA-C5 controller can be rack mounted or placed on a shelf in an
equipment rack. The controller will occupy two rack spaces with the feet
removed.
The controller can be installed in an equipment rack using the included rack-
mount ears and hardware to attach the ears to the controller chassis.
Up to six controllers may be connected and allow up to 48 zones on the
system.
Electrical Power
The MCA-C5 operates at 100-120VAC ~60 Hz or 220-240VAC ~50 Hz. Voltage
is selected by the voltage switch on the rear panel and incorporates the
appropriate detachable power cord. It is recommended that the MCA-C5 and
the source equipment be plugged into a dedicated 20-amp circuit. A power
line conditioner can reduce interference problems caused by noise found in
some electrical systems.
The power switch for the unit is on the front panel.
Important Considerations
Disconnect the power cord before making any connections to the •
controller.
Verify that all connections and polarity are correct.•
Keep all power cords away from all signal cables to prevent humming from •
induced noise.
Choose reliable signal cables and patch cords.•
Label all wires with the room location at both ends of the wire.•
Avoid running speaker wires or signal cables close to house electrical •
wiring for any distance. If you have to run them parallel, make sure to space
the wires at least two feet from the AC line. If you need to cross an AC line it
should be at a 90° angle.
For multiple controllers, the controller ID must be set with the rotary switch •
on the rear panel. Each controller must be set to a unique number before
powering connected controllers.
Important: The necessary software (SCS-C5) to program and congure the
system is available via download from the doc center at www.russound.com.
With your laptop, you can congure the system and name all of the zones prior
to connecting with the MCA-C5 controller. See Section on page 27 for items to
be programmed with the software.
Do not connect the controller’s main power feed until all other
connections have been made and veried. Live connection or
removal of the keypad wiring or other wiring when the system
is powered can cause communication problems in the network.
Double-check terminations during each phase of the installation
to prevent accidental damage. Incorrect wiring is the number one
cause for non-warranty product damage.